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Biography of Charles John Gardiner 1st Earl Blessington 1782-1829

On 3rd July 1773 [his father] Luke Gardiner 1st Viscount Mountjoy (age 28) and [his mother] Elizabeth Montgomery (age 22) were married.

In 1782 Charles John Gardiner 1st Earl Blessington was born to [his father] Luke Gardiner 1st Viscount Mountjoy (age 36) and [his mother] Elizabeth Montgomery (age 31).

In 1783 [his mother] Elizabeth Montgomery (age 32) died.

On 19th September 1789 [his father] Luke Gardiner 1st Viscount Mountjoy (age 44) was created 1st Baron Mountjoy.

On 20th October 1793 [his father] Luke Gardiner 1st Viscount Mountjoy (age 48) and Margaret Wallis (age 23) were married. The difference in their ages was 24 years.

On 30th September 1795 [his father] Luke Gardiner 1st Viscount Mountjoy (age 50) was created 1st Viscount Mountjoy. Charles John Gardiner 1st Earl Blessington (age 13) succeeded 2nd Viscount Mountjoy, 2nd Baron Mountjoy.

Battle of New Ross

On 5th June 1798 the Battle of New Ross was fought at New Ross between the Irish Republican insurgents called the United Irishmen and British Crown forces composed of regular soldiers, militia and yeomanry. The attack on the town of New Ross on the River Barrow, was an attempt by the recently victorious rebels to break out of county Wexford across the river Barrow and to spread the rebellion into county Kilkenny and the outlying province of Munster.

[his father] Luke Gardiner 1st Viscount Mountjoy (age 53) was killed.

In 1816 Charles John Gardiner 1st Earl Blessington (age 34) was created 1st Earl Blessington.

On 16th February 1818 Charles John Gardiner 1st Earl Blessington (age 36) and Marguerite Power Countess of Blessington (age 28) were married at St Mary's Church, Bryanston Square, Marylebone some four months after her first husband's death. She by marriage Countess Blessington.

On 25th May 1829 Charles John Gardiner 1st Earl Blessington (age 47) died of apoplexy without issue. Earl Blessington, Viscount Mountjoy, Baron Mountjoy extinct.

The Deeds of the Dukes of Normandy

The Gesta Normannorum Ducum [The Deeds of the Dukes of Normandy] is a landmark medieval chronicle tracing the rise and fall of the Norman dynasty from its early roots through the pivotal events surrounding the Norman Conquest of England. Originally penned in Latin by the monk William of Jumièges shortly before 1060 and later expanded at the behest of William the Conqueror, the work chronicles the deeds, politics, battles, and leadership of the Norman dukes, especially William’s own claim to the English throne. The narrative combines earlier historical sources with firsthand information and oral testimony to present an authoritative account of Normandy’s transformation from a Viking settlement into one of medieval Europe’s most powerful realms. William’s history emphasizes the legitimacy, military prowess, and governance of the Norman line, framing their expansion, including the conquest of England, as both divinely sanctioned and noble in purpose. Later chroniclers such as Orderic Vitalis and Robert of Torigni continued the history, extending the coverage into the 12th century, providing broader context on ducal rule and its impact. Today this classic work remains a foundational source for understanding Norman identity, medieval statesmanship, and the historical forces that reshaped England and Western Europe between 800AD and 1100AD.

Available at Amazon in eBook and Paperback format.

On 4th June 1849 [his former wife] Marguerite Power Countess of Blessington (age 59) died.

[his daughter] Harriet Gardiner was born to Charles John Gardiner 1st Earl Blessington and Marguerite Power Countess of Blessington.

Adeline Horsey Recollections. I remember meeting [his daughter] Lady Harriet Cowper, who first married Count d'Orsay when she was only fifteen years of age. The marriage was arranged by her stepmother, the famous Lady Blessington, who forced Lady Harriett to marry the man who was popularly supposed to be her own lover. Old Lord Blessington made a very liberal marriage settlement on his only daughter, but it really benefited the Count, and not his child bride. Their union was most disastrous and was almost immediately followed by a separation.

After Count d'Orsay's death his widow married Mr. Cowper, who owned Sandringham. She had one daughter by him, and her second matrimonial venture was a happy one. Lady Harriett was a most kind-hearted woman, and among her most charitable actions she endowed a home for twelve young working girls who needed rest and change.

Ancestors of Charles John Gardiner 1st Earl Blessington 1782-1829

Great x 1 Grandfather: Luke Gardiner

GrandFather: Charles Gardiner

Father: Luke Gardiner 1st Viscount Mountjoy

Charles John Gardiner 1st Earl Blessington

GrandFather: William Montgomery 1st Baronet

Mother: Elizabeth Montgomery

GrandMother: Hannah Tomkyns